The Bridge Between Worlds
by victoriaev350
Summary: Back when viking and dragon are still at war, fifteen year old Eerika cuts a deal with Hiccup. She'll assist him in fixing his prosthetic tail for Toothless, and in return, Hiccup will help Eerika find her missing dragons. But as adventure unfolds, Eerika may find she's gotten more than she bargained for. Centres around events of How to Train Your Dragon.
1. Prologue

**|| PROLOGUE ||**

 _"You're mine."_

The whisper escapes my lips and fades quickly into the silence; nothingness takes its place. I gaze down at the boar as it grazes in the grass. The beast pays no attention to me; yet again. My hands loosely grasp the tree branch above my head as needles prick a little into the palm of my hands. My knees are firmly planted on the branch below. The boar doesn't know what's coming.

I lightly touch the end of the dagger held by a leather band at my side, and hoist myself up the tree. The coolness of the afternoon soothes my skin as the weight of exhaustion begins to threaten me. I take a deep breath with ease and then slowly maneuver across the branch. I put one foot in front of the other and lift my arms. Otherwise, I risk falling. I try remembering the last time desperation forced me to prey on an animal. If I was correct, it was a few weeks ago. The trout hadn't been biting, and everyone still lay around at high noon snoring, "Lazy..." I remember saying before arming myself with a bow and my last few arrows. I set out to go boar hunting, and it took most of the day to find one.

Today, the boar I have my eyes on is plump and covered in short, black hair. Its tusks are larger than any I have seen before. But a key feature are its large ears, and yet it continues to graze with no notice of my presence. I stand above it, sucking in my breath and slowly pulling out the dagger. The dagger is made out of wood with a large dragon tooth I had stuck on with some sticky moss. The edge is still sharp, but the handle's beautiful design is faded. Once, there had been a carving of a beautiful dragon stretching the length of the handle. There were elegant details... and now, my eyes scan nothing but an outline.

I sway on the branch, failing to keep my balance for a split second. My left arm accidentally bumps the branch above me and for a moment I breath unevenly. The boar lifts its head, and I curse inwardly, No noise. No noise. If the boar knew I was up here, it would dash for the nearest exit...which is everywhere. I would never see it again. And I would starve. I manage to regain my balance. For a moment, I keep my position on the branch. If I moved, I could jeopardize this mission. I pray for the boar to go back to grazing. It looks around, its long eats rising slightly.

After what felt like forever, the boar lowers its head back into the grass and continues to graze. Reflex wanted to let out a sigh of relief, but I fight the urge. Instead, I wait. I don't know what for because I had run out of branch. The branches are thin and curved, maneuvering on them is near impossible. It took me forever to learn how. And even now, my legs wobble.

But if the boar comes to me...I smirk at the thought and cup my hands around my mouth. I imitate a boar call. The boar lifts its head mid-chew, ears twitching a little at the sound. I hold my breath praying that the call works...and that the boar doesn't run. For a moment, it looks around...until it squeals and bounds in the opposite direction. I slam my fist into the tree and groan in frustration.

It's gone.

x.x.x.x.x

Night is beginning to set in by the time a familiar ancient looking tree with dragon claw marks catches my eye. It towers over a cliff up ahead with a few branches hanging loosely from the tree. I run to the cliff's edge; my arms and legs feel like jelly. Waiting and hunting that boar all day had become tiring and my body was already fighting fatigue. I stop at the edge of the cliff and peer down to the beach. Anyone a distance from the cliff's edge would never guess a beach is here. If the sound of the waves washing ashore and the salty smell of the ocean were absent, the beach would be hidden from view. Which is amazing for it stretches as far as I can see in either direction. The beautiful orange and yellow sky emphasizes the water's serene beauty

I always found this handy. At one time, local vikings had found their way to my beach, and the position of the beach allowed me to hide within a hidden cave. They never bothered to find and venture to the beach floor.

A few dragons are spread out on the beach. My eyes catch a green dragon with long legs and three large claws on either foot. The dragon's lengthy tail is green and white and smooth. Its legs are long, and it has large, pointy spikes on top of its head. Suddenly, spikes stand up on its tail and the dragon flings them towards another dragon with large, brown horns. The horned dragon is red with black details and short legs with five long, skinny claws on each foot. Its tail is long with black spike like details sticking out.

I watch the fight. The Horned dragon growls and lifts its wings, exploding into flames. The Green dragon doesn't budge. It lifts its semi-large wings wings and growls back before taking a snap at the horned dragon's leg, "Again?" I sigh before my eyes catch a path hidden by several large boulders. It's narrow, with only enough room to fit one person at a time, Meh, I can do this... I slip in between the boulders, my feet hit the path, and I start to descend. Of course, not too fast. I know the consequences of walking too quickly. A knock on the head from a boulder could knock a person unconscious...or worse.

It takes all of forty seconds to walk down the path. The moment my foot hits the beach floor the dragons grow silent and stare. I gaze at them, and can feel their souls searching mine. Silence plagues us, but it doesn't haunt us.

And then it happens.

The dragons bound towards me, and all at once, three dragons try to nuzzle my stomach, "Wow, calm down!" I exclaim. The horned dragon, of whom I nicknamed Red, growls and lights himself in flames, "Really?" Red lifts his wings and growls at me, "There are other dragons. Not JUST you." Red roars again. I sigh, Five...four...three...Almost on cue, Red lifts himself into the sky and shoots for the open ocean.

"Hey Splinter," I say to a round, brown dragon with an unusually short tail and wings. I see large white teeth when Splinter opens his mouth. The dragon purrs and licks my face with its long tongue, "good boy." The Green dragon hits my shoulder, "Be patient Grub," He growls, "Yeah, you too." Grub nuzzles my chest and I brush my fingers over his dry, scaley skin. It's good to be home. The warm feeling I get when I'm here is unparalleled. My heart turns up a thousand degree's, and my shoulders relax.

And yet I never ignore that stab in my chest. It's something I cannot pinpoint. But there are a lot of things I cannot name. One time, I scowled and my face heated up. I could've sworn steam was going to come out of my ears. And I wanted to hit something. It's unusual because I don't consider myself the kind to hit things at random...but I wanted to at the time.

Something nudges my side and I snap out of my thoughts. At my feet is a pile of regurgitated fish. I frown, "You went...fishing?" The dragon growls softly, running to another pile of fish a few meter's away...with no dragon spit sticking to it, "...twice?" Grub lifts his wings and turns around in a complete circle in a weird, dance like fashion. He bobs his head, and I glare, "I went HUNTING today..." It was early in the morning when I left. Red, Grub, and Splinter hadn't opened their eyes and were sound asleep when I slipped away. But this annoyed me. I wasted an ENTIRE day.

I fold my arms over my chest, "Very funny!" Grub flaps his wings and growls softly, "You aren't getting out of this," I approach the fish that aren't regurgitated. I should be thankful, and of course I am. If anything, I'm glad Grub brought back some fish, because I did a pathetic job hunting the boar earlier. I glance at Grub; he tilts his head, "Whatever. Eat your dinner." I gesture to the fish Grub regurgitated.

Grub snaps up the first fish, and I take one from the pile in front of me. In the cliff is a cave. Inside, it's dark but not enough to hide what's within. A large pile of branches are up against the cave wall. Beside them is a large pile of rocks along with some random stuff from the wilderness I had found including bark and dry grass.

I saunter over towards the cave and pick up a little of everything; I proceed to make a fire in the middle of the beach. I lightly place some bark and dry grass on the beach, followed by some logs and to finish, I use the stones to make an outline around the branches, "Splinter," Splinter prominently fires at the pile of stuff. The fireball explodes, and the branches catch the fire. I pick up the remaining stones and throw them at Splinter, who catches them in his mouth. He chews quickly and swallows.

By the time I put my fish on the last stick I brought and hold it over the fire, Grub is finished. I hear something walk over and plunk itself beside me, "Already?" The dragon remains silent. I look at him, and he's staring my fish, "You ARE NOT eating mine! Eat those!" I gesture towards the pile of fish that hadn't been regurgitated, and the dragon dashes for them, "Pig..." I wonder if Grub is even a dragon...I watch him snap up all the fish, "are you a pig?" Grub cocks his head and growls, "Didn't think so."

I turn my attention back to the fire and Grub takes his spot beside me. We sit in silence. I can't describe what FELT different. It's like there is a hole in my chest and it's eating at me from the inside. I have everything I need. Food. Survival skills. Dragons. What more do I need?

In the distance my eyes catch a large body jump out of the water. Its small with two heads and tails. The darkness makes it impossible to note anymore detail.

My stomach churns...I don't know why. Now I'm not hungry. I take my fish off my stick and throw it in the air. Grub catches it quickly and swallows it. I frown, "Do you even chew?" He growls, "Whatever." I throw the stick into the fire.

Suddenly, a roar pierces the silence as the darkness engulfs the world. I turn to see a dragon covered in fire landing on the beach behind me. He roars, lowering his head so its few inches above the beach ,and meets my gaze. I roll my eyes, "Better?" The dragon stands his ground. Stubborn dragon, "Good."

Red's fire disappears, and he sits down. He stares at me, "We can't play right now, Red." He growls, "Do what you want. I'm going to sleep." The fire crackles and pops, and I lay down against the sand. The ground is hard, and I feel the sand on my back.

I shut my eyes and try to steady my breathing despite the darkness threatening to make it race. You're safe. You're safe. Nothing will get you. One. Two. Three. Four. Five...I feel something with dry scales curl up against my arm. I smile. Something curls up beside my other arm, it's bumpy and licks my face a few times, "Go to sleep, Splinter."

Two dragons.

"C'mon, Red," I mutter, "I won't tell anyone." A few seconds later, the cold breeze brushing against my bare feet is gone and replaced with a little bit of heat. Red roars, but seconds later I hear a thump.

The sound of my dragon's breathing is melody to my ears. And I quickly allow sleep to consume me.

x.x.x.x.x.x

The first thing I notice when I wake up is the darkness that looms around me. It's empty and lifeless, and for a moment I panic. I shoot up into a sitting position; my breathing accelerates. My palms are sweaty. I look around in a panic. Where am I? Why is it so cold? I hear the sound of water washing up on the shore, and smell salty ocean air.

I catch a glimpse of a tree on a cliff towering over the beach as my eyes adjust to the darkness, and then a well burnt log at my feet surrounded by some rocks. The coolness of the wind ruffles my hair. I go to touch Splinter, but my hand meets empty space. I frown. Where are my dragons? I look around. The beach is deserted. But I fell asleep to the sound of their breathing! They were RIGHT here! My mind draws a blank. And then I'm on my feet, running down the beach, "Grub! Splinter!" I cup my hands over my mouth, "...Red?"

They couldn't be gone. They CAN'T be gone! The thought of living without them is unbearable! There is NO such thought...NO such possibility. I run until I'm out of breath. Until I can no longer see the campsite...on my knee's. It's inevitable.

The dragons are gone.


	2. Chapter 1

**Review Response**  
 **Mariah:** If you want to know, you'll have to stay along for the ride. It'll be a long one!

 **|| CHAPTER ONE ||**

 _Two Weeks Later_

There's a reason I rarely venture into the forest. Now I remember why.

Towering trees stand like Viking soldiers on their way to battle; with trunks firm and strong, and branches covering their bodies from intruders. Nothing but eerie silence escapes them. Their tops reach for the sky. It's as if they wanted to be free from the ground that's holding them prisoner.

And yet I feel as if they look down on me in shame. They laugh and giggle, and whisper among each other in playfulness and fun, "Such a silly, small human," They say.

I don't find it funny, "Nothing here." Besides grass and bush, my eye catch nothing out of the ordinary on the forest floor. Nothing that shouldn't be here.

Nothing to help me find my dragons.

I've been out here for who knows how long with nothing but a crestless satchel, a dagger...and a bow without arrows. I open my satchel, a fishy smell hits my nostrils and I crinkle my nose in disgust. Within is a fishtail, and two dull arrowheads. I sigh, "This is worthless…" I close the satchel and brush some of my bone-straight burgundy blush hair behind my shoulders, "so, river..." I listen for the sound of flowing water, but I only hear the sounds of birds chirping from the tree's, and the breeze brushing against the grass.

Suddenly, a distant roar rips through the silence, echoing before fading into the emptiness. My eyes widen in realization; that's a dragon roar! It's unlike any I had heard before. There is nothing else I know of that makes such an earth shattering noise, 'This may be a lead!' If the dragon would roar again, I could guess the direction it's in and find it. Then, maybe, I can discover some clue as to where Red, Splinter and Grub went! And eventually I'll find them! It seems like an airtight plan. Or one I'd be willing to follow if everything falls into place. But it's all a hunch. Truth is, I don't know if this dragon will lead me to mine. I don't know if I can find it!

I embrace myself for the second roar, but moments pass with nothing but soothing silence. A small brown frog with a few small bumps on its skin jumps onto a log in front of me and croaks. I frown, "Well, if he ain't roaring again…it's hide and seek." Guessing games…not my favorite, but better than sitting and doing nothing. I re-adjust my satchel band around my shoulder in hopes that I'm doing the right thing. Worse thing that'll happen is I head in the wrong direction. I will know in time if I'm going in the right direction.

Time passes slower than a snail. My feet drag me over logs, and up a steep hill. A breeze brushes against my skin as my ears catch the sound of a bubbling creek. I follow the distant melody of flowing water through the forest. Suddenly, a small cove appears in front of me several feet deep. A small waterfall flows into a small spring pool below that's surrounded by grass. Rocks of all shapes and sizes are scattered on the cove floor. A large tree is at the back of the cove with roots plunging into the ground. Suddenly, something growls and I jump back, falling onto my back.

"Toothless!" An unfamiliar voice exclaims. I shift onto my stomach and pull myself to the cliff's edge, so I can peer into the cove. My eyes catch a short scrawny boy with brown hair. His hands are small, and his arms and legs are thin. He wears a brown sweater and pants along with a green shirt. Something is on his feet, though I fail to pinpoint what it is. The item in question hides everything at the bottom up to his ankles. In his hands, hoisted above his head, is some sort of crazy looking blanket…though it doesn't look like one. Blankets are soft, but this one appeared hard with a bit of a curved form on top and little bend ability. A black dragon, which I presume to be Toothless, backs up from the boy and lowers himself as if he were to pounce on him. I note that the dragons pupils are dilated. Toothless squirms slightly and sticks out his tongue. I only catch a glimpse of his teeth before his tongue slips back into his mouth. It looks as if he were to jump towards the boy and lick his face off, "Can I just put this on you?" The scrawny boy asks. Toothless and the boy stare at each other for a moment. Eventually, the dragon stands and watches as the boy slowly approaches him and straps on the blanket thing. He tightens it around the dragon's stomach with some sort of straps, "Alright. That should do it."

"That's a funny place to put a blanket," I mutter to myself, "on a dragon? It isn't cold enough."

"How does the saddle feel, bud?" The boy smiles. 'Saddle?' The dragon wiggles his body and jumps, before letting out a soft roar.

The scrawny boy approaches the dragon, and steps on his foot. Toothless growls, "My bad." I watch the boy grab a part of the saddle and hoist himself up. He takes a deep breath and swings a leg over Toothless, but lowers it too soon and kicks his back.

I laugh at the boy's clumsy attempt to mount the dragon, "Amateur…"

Toothless glares, "Sorry." At least he's on the dragon, "You ready?"

The dragon gazes into the sky and bounds into the air, extending his wings and flapping. They fly straight with little sign of issue…until the boy tugs on the rope in his hand and tumbles to the fround. The dragon lands on the cove floor near the spring pool.

"What...?" I ask aloud. The rope connects to...my eyes widen, "A hand made tail?" Sure enough, half the tail on Toothless is a light brown colour, "So the dragon has half a tail which means that rope..." My eyes dart back to the rope, "...controls the tail."

I roll my eyes and retreat from the small cliff. This is becoming painful to watch, "I'll be surprised if he can fly that dragon."

But my mind doesn't let go of the scrawny boy, and his interest in Toothless. Though I cannot pinpoint what Toothless is I trace back to the last time I'd seen his species. The only difference between the two was the coloring. While Toothless is black with yellow eyes, the dragon I had seen as a child was purple with white eyes. I remember staring into its eyes as I lay against a tree, petrified, and my body refusing to move. If Grub hadn't jumped in, grabbing my shoulders with his talons and escaping through an old tunnel we discovered weeks earlier, I might've died.

I note a path I never noticed before after the cove disappears from sight leading into thicker woods. A breeze brushes my skin, "The wind's on my side. Guess I'd better try it." And I head into the unknown.

x.x.x.x.x.x

By the time night falls, I find myself staring at a small dirt path leading out of the forest and into an unfamiliar clearing. The cloud coverage in the sky blocks any light from hitting the grass.

Seeking to leave the safety of the trees and into the vulnerability of the wide-open space seems like something someone with no sense of reason would do. In the forest, the trees tower over you, offering protection from threats. A warning flashes through my mind, "Bad idea?" I take a look at the path I had come down to get here, and then back towards the clearing. I shrug my shoulders, "Fine by me." I take a step out of the safety of the forest and into the clearing…but I don't look back. My dragons may be beyond that clearing. If they are, and I turn back because of a stupid small fear of the dark, what kind of person am I?

But I feel shadows watching me, like at any moment they would turn into monsters and drag me into another world, and I'd never be heard from again. I look around, but the only shadows I see are those coming from the trees. And yet, when I continue to look forward, I feel like other shadows creep up from the ocean and follow me. It's as if they peer over my shoulders!

Weeks ago, that moment my fire died, these stalking shadows became ghosts that strangled me senseless. The days after my dragons disappeared brought out hidden ghosts attacking me the moment the sun sunk below the horizon. 'They don't exist…they don't exist.' I remember repeating that to myself as I stumbled through the dark forest. It would bare its teeth and stretch out its claws, but I pushed forward. Eventually, it was easier to breath as I wandered through the forest, searching for my dragons.

The path stretches over the ocean onto another island and weaves around a large rock that stands tall. I follow the trail and enter some sort of settlement with weird looking caves. I gaze at the first one I see to my right. It has four, straight sides and some sort of crazy shaped mechanism on the front. I approach it and push it open, but it doesn't open. I note a small round thing and pull it. Nothing happens. My hand tightens, and I push it. Still nothing. I glare, "What are you and why won't you open?" I twist my hand left, and the mechanism opens. I smirk, "Eerika wins again." Inside, I note a weird assortment of items I've never seen before. A warning flashes in my mind again, and I don't bother to continue inside. Instead, I turn around and my eyes widen. The are many more…many, many more!

I wander and stare at all the small caves as I pass them, 'They sure are strange!'

"Baaah!" My eyes snap in the direction of the noise, but I see nothing. I grab my dagger and start in the direction of the sound. I stand with my back to the side of a cave, taking a deep breath just before I jump and simultaneously swing my dagger in the direction of the noise. In front of me is some sort of creature with lots of white puffy fur, a black head and short legs. It looks at me.

"What strange creature are you?" I strap my dagger back into its case, "are you some sort of small, mutated boar?"

"Baaah!" The creature lowers its head to the ground to graze.

"Maybe a miniature dragon?"

The creature pays no attention to me.

"Understood. I shall leave you to your business."

I head back towards the caves, 'What a strange creature!' The smell of the salty ocean meets my nostrils; the waves rush up against statues that, I note, are in the ocean a ways away. I tilt my head, 'That's a strange place to put statues.' Suddenly, a light appears from around a cave in the distance. Voices slice the silence. Someone's coming!

Quickly, I look for a place to hide and gaze at a space underneath one of the wooden caves. I dive underneath and watch as feet appear in front of me. I hold my breath, hopefully they won't find me!

"-and even if you did have a chance, I'd destroy all of you!" An obnoxious voice declares. A moment of silence passes before I note a set of feet fly into the air, and I see someone fall to the ground, "Hey!" I can see his face now. His hair is black and he has a chubbier body than the scrawny boy I'd seen earlier.

I hear two sets of voices laughing into the night air, "You totally fell for that."

"Totally,"

"Like a dragon caught in an eel trap…"

Silence follows, "That doesn't really make sense." A new voice pops up. Another male. So, there are three guys so far and a girl…

"You guys are immature," Scratch that, two girls, "lets go."

The feet retreat… and I sigh in relief when the light dims. My foot hits the cave's floor above me, and the lights glow continuously flickers...and no longer fades. I hold my breath again. A moment passes and nothing changes…until the light disappears completely.

"Phew…" I pull myself out of my hiding spot. Nothing but darkness and my eerie surroundings greet me.

But I have to get out of here before someone spots me. I didn't know people live here! I dart in the direction I came, being careful not to run into anyone else.

I round a corner and something catches my eye, lots of sharp objects inside an open cave. I approach it slowly and walk inside.

"What the…?" The place is covered in sharp objects of all different shapes and sizes. I pull out my dagger and stare at it, "this place makes my dagger look like child's play."

I turn to leave, but approaching footsteps stop me in my tracks. Someone's coming…I look around quickly for a hiding spot. But every spot is covered in something sharp or pointy.

I have nowhere to go.


	3. Chapter 2

**Revie** **w** **Responses  
Mariah:** There's a book in this series for every part of the franchise. This book us set during the events of the first movie. And yes, Guest likes the canon Hiccup and Astrid pairing. The canon is pretty favourable in this franchise! Addressing your last statement, don't worry about me! :)  
 **ViolettaRosemary:** I'm glad you found it epic xD

 **|| CHAPTER TWO ||**  
Dragon Nip

There's nowhere to go.

My breathing becomes unsteady as the footsteps draw nearer. Every inch is full of crazy, pointy weapons. My eyes catch an area surrounded by rocks. It's as if they plastered them onto the wall with sticky moss. Within is a light orange where a fire had been burning once. Near it is some sort of stone object with a crazy looking weapon on it. But there aren't any hiding spots. My eyes catch a table with space underneath; clear of pointy objects. Quickly, I dash towards it and slide so it hides me. And just in time.

The footsteps draw closer and closer until a familiar figure carrying a saddle enters the cave. My eyes widen, It's that scrawny boy! Sure enough, I catch a glimpse of his wavy hair and oval shaped head before he nears me. I scurry farther under the table, but he's too preoccupied with his saddle to notice I'm hiding. I expect him to turn and gasp in horror as we make eye contact. I would hide until he ran for help, and at that moment, I'd pull myself out from under the table and search desperately for another way out. Instead, he quickly turns his head as if he's looking for someone and then dashes into another section of the cave so I can no longer see him.

I don't waste another minute.

The moment he disappears, I scurry out of my hiding spot and race out of the cave into the open air. A voice echoes in the distance, and a familiar glow grows from around the corner. I suck in my breath and run into the shadows of two caves inches apart. My eyes close and I wait for a moment as the voices pass, muttering something I can't make out. Quickly, I run out of my hiding spot and snap my head in every direction. The area is a like a stranger, greeting me with a pointed weapon at my throat, Darn! Which way is right!? Which way did I come from!? I make a wild guess and run away from the cave with the pointy weapons. It takes many turns and tries before I sense familiarity and the path I came from is in front of me.

I run as fast as I can until I'm within the safety of the trees.

But I stop for moment and look in the direction of the settlement, What a strange place it is. Glad I don't have to go back.

x.x.x.x.x

A bird's melodious lullaby.. That's what I hear.

My eyes open slowly, taking in my surroundings. I shoot up into a sitting position, gazing in all directions. For a moment my memory is foggy. But I soon remember. What did I do last night? I trace back to the moments before I had gone to sleep. After leaving the village, I ran into the forest and found a spot under a tree. I turn to see a thick, strong tree covered in moss and roots curving up from the ground and plunging back into the earth, Must've fallen asleep. Strands of sunlight break through the leaves protecting the ground. Bushes are scattered everywhere, and small critters roam. A brown animal with a long bushy tail scampers up a tree trunk, stopping for a moment to brush its head with its paw.

Suddenly, I hear something rustling in the bushes. I jump up, grabbing my dagger and slowly approach the bush. For a moment, my heart begins to beat rapidly in my chest.

A small, green dragon with brown wings and details emerges. It's tongue snaps up to it's eyeball. The dragon tilts its head as we make eye contact.

It growls softly. I sigh, "Warn me next time," I shove my dagger back in its case and gather my things from under the tree. There's a lot to do today. More searching. Hunting. Maybe even making arrows. Today was the day. Every part of my being is screaming! Something good will happen today! Something good; Something great! My babies and I shall reunite. That will be a treat. We will eat and be lazy all day! What fun that shall be! I nod confidently.

I hear a roar and turn my head. The little green dragon is gone. _Flew away, no doubt. It's probably causing mischief. I shall ignore it and continue on_. I start in the opposite direction towards, what I believed to be, a clearing I use to venture to with Grub. I'd been there before, but another exploration wouldn't hurt. A second roar stops me in my tracks. It's not as deafening or earth shattering as Toothless, but instead, it sounds like a boar. Only it's not a boar. I follow it until I come to a herd of dragons spread out at the bottom of a hill where the tree's are sparse and a small river wraps around the base of the hill. My eyes catch a particular dragon, "I know you." I say out loud, watching the blue and yellow dragon interact with the rest. Unlike other dragons, I note that each dragon has two long necks with one head on each. However, both necks are connected to the same body with four small legs and a pair of small wings. I narrow my eyes, "I just need you to lift your wings…" The dragon screeches at the other, before lifting its wings in warning. I note a large scar under one of the wings and I gasp.

Quickly, I jump out of the bushes and the dragon's gaze snaps in my direction as I slowly descend the hill. The blue dragon looks away from its rival. It's as if they had never seen a human before. A red and blue dragon glares, and either head bobs as it walks in a semi circle. I reach the base of the hill and step over the thin river. I take a deep breath and lower myself to the ground, the hissing of the other dragons rising. The blue dragon walks towards me slowly, sniffing the ground in front of me. I stay kneeling on the ground, trying to focus on not freaking out. A herd of wild dragons could be dangerous if this wasn't handled properly. The dragon eventually growls softly and I smile, "There you are girls…"

I stand up straight, and touch both heads, "You've gotten…bigger," The girls roar, "Not that much though." The dragon head on the left picks me up, "Blue! Put me down!" The dragon doesn't indulge at first, but flings me in the air before catching me and putting me down. The other head takes a snap at Blue. I sigh, "Minnow! Stop."

Blue looks at me, "I wasn't talking to you."

Blue tilts her head.

"Whatever."

Slowly, other two-headed dragons approach, sniffing the ground and bumping hard me with their heads as if experimenting or trying to figure out if I bounce. I frown, "Hey...stop."

An orange and green dragon growls, and I quickly cease talking. It hisses and growls for a few moments before subsiding. Suddenly a distant roar pierces the silence. In response the dragon growls. I recognize the roar, "What the…?" Curiosity begins to tug at my insides. But it sounded far away. I look at Blue and Minnow, "You girls wanna take a flight?"

They fling their wings up and hiss. I cross my arms over my chest and watch them as they continue to do so. When they stop I sigh, "Are you done?"

The dragons hiss again.

I shake my head, flashing back to the spats they use to have with Red over food. At times, a fight would break out randomly over nothing, and I remember glaring at the pair as they hissed and rose their wings. It was pathetic, "It won't take long girls. I'll have you back in no time," I smile.

For a moment, Minnow and Blue don't respond. Eventually they lower their wings and I climb onto their backs, "Just like old times," I sit down and make sure I'm comfortable, "Take me in the direction of the roar."

The dragons bound into the sky. I hang on tightly until we're above the trees. I laugh, "C'mon girls! Let's do this!" We fly in the air until we reach a small clearing in the middle of the forest. I spot two figures, "To the ground…over there!" We dive down towards the trees. I note Toothless rolling playfully and happily in the long grass. The moment Blue and Minnow land at the edge of the forest floor, I immediately hop off of them, "Stay there!" I instruct. Quickly, I run to the clearing and crouch down so the grass hides me I'm hidden. In the distance, I catch the scrawny boy. He holds a bit of the grass and stares at it in amazement. It's unusual grass, much taller than normal and is light green.

Suddenly, something towers over me. I look up to see Blue and Minnow. They roar and fall to the ground, rolling like Toothless in the tall grass. The scrawny boy's gaze snaps in my direction, "H-hello?" Toothless jumps up and begins to growl ferociously, "It's okay Toothless."

"Thanks girls!" I note the bitterness in my voice. But they pay no attention to me, and continue to roll around in the grass. They barely notice their tail cutting the air, and simultaneously, it pushes me so I'm no longer hidden.

My eyes meet Toothless's. He doesn't hesitate to let out a hair tingling growl. The boy's eyes widen, "Dah-uh…what are you doing?"


	4. Chapter 3

**|| CHAPTER THREE ||  
** Showdown at High Noon

What am I to say? I look into a pair of green eyes. I desperately want to say that it's none of his business! Or ask why something like that is so important to him? But instead, I keep my mouth shut. _If I say something, I may babble or worse!_ _Tell him the truth._

A grey shadow hovers over me, I pray it isn't who I think it is! But it is. Blue and Minnow raise their wings and accidentally ram into me; they hiss and glare. They look solely at the scrawny boy. I notice Toothless' shoulders tensing. He lowers his head closer to the ground and quickly shuffles in front of the boy. _If I do nothing, this would end in a bloodthirsty battle._ Desperately, I dash in front of the girls and wave my arms in the air, "Hey! Stop it!" I exclaim bitterly. Blue and Minnow don't budge from their spot. With their wings still lifted in the air, they release an ear piercing hiss. But they don't move.

"How—How did you do that?" An astounded voice asks behind me.

I turn to meet a pair of green eyes. At first, I don't know what to say. Words fumble around in my mouth, "What?"

"That!" He points at my extended hands.

"Oh…" I shrug my shoulders, "I don't know."

Toothless growls again, and starts to approach me. Immediately, Blue and Minnow get in front of me and growl as if they are defending themselves. Toothless counteracts their growl by growling back.

"No, Toothless," The boy gets in front of the dragon, who seems determined to charge me.

I look at Toothless; curiosity continues to eat at me. _What kind of dragon is he? Where did he come from?_ More questions flow into my mind as I watch the scrawny boy pull Toothless back. Blue and Minnow continue to growl at Toothless. That's my cue to leave.

The boy turns so his back is to me. He mutters something to Toothless, but I catch nothing but mumbling. Before the scrawny boy turns around, I jump on Blue and Minnow. They launch themselves into the air and we fly away quickly. As we get farther and farther away, I turn to look at them and notice the scrawny boy watching as we disappear.

I shake my head, "We probably won't see him again." Though I do admit, his ability to keep Toothless under control is fascinating! Most humans I've seen cower in fear or charge these creatures with weapons. I think about Toothless, I haven't had a chance to fully examine him in his natural habitat. He's quite a fascinating dragon. It would be a shame to miss an opportunity. If I see him again, I shall observe.

Moments later, Blue and Minnow land on the forest ground, "Thanks girls." I touch their faces with either hand and smile, "You should go back to your herd." The girls growl, bumping my hands with their heads, "Go." For a moment, I stare at Blue and Minnow as they lift their wings and take off into the sky. They stare at me, roaring, before disappearing above the trees.

I stare at the treetops. After a moment, I start walking mindlessly with no idea as to where I am heading. Before I know it, the bright, round light in the sky is gone and darkness looms with twinkly lanterns flickering above. Crickets sing to me from the long grass. But my mind trails, still, to Toothless and that scrawny boy. _He wasn't afraid. In fact, he seemed confident and happy. Would others human react the same way?_

My heart aches when I think of my dragons. _Locked in a dungeon. Fighting for their lives. Even dead._ My eyes catch a large tree as a breeze softly brushes my hair. I secure myself and begin climbing the tree, _And if I find my dragons? What am I to do? Of course I shall rescue them! But what after that?_ I pull myself along a tree branch and turn over so I'm lying on my back. My things are on my stomach. The crickets continue to sing, and I close my eyes so I can dream.

x.x.x.x.x

 _Fish are so dumb and stupid! They shall be my lunch!_ I sing internally. A stream reflects the high sun as noon passes, _Fishy, fish fish! You shall appease me!_ I smirk. After cleaning the fish, I put them in my satchel.

A familiar roar catches me off guard. My head snaps in the direction the roar came from. Quickly, I slap my dagger into its case and rush through the forest, _That must be Toothless! It must! I have to find him!_ It doesn't take long for my eyes to gaze upon a familiar cove and a black dragon wandering around within. Toothless stares into the spring pool and growls playfully, sitting and staring at something below the water's surface. I can't catch what it is. I lean over the cliff and pay little attention to what I'm doing.. Suddenly, I feel air rush by me and everything rolls around.

I'm tumbling to the cove floor.


	5. Chapter 4

**Review Replies  
** Mariah: Thanks for reviewing each chapter! :)

 **|| CHAPTER FOUR ||**  
Protector

I look around for something to grab, and I angle myself so my hands touch the rock. They burn as I fall, but eventually my fingers catch a small opening in the rocks, and my feet plant themselves against the rock below me. I stop, catching my breath. I let go and land on the ground.

Suddenly, I hear a growl. I turn to see Toothless glaring at me with his back arched. His pupils are narrow as he snarls, his mouth wide open so I can see his dull teeth. My breath catches in my throat; fear begins to creep up on me. I've faced many dragons before, but this one is almost foreign. It's like trying a new berry with a hope that it won't do something crazy to my body. For a moment, Toothless' snarls quiet down and become low rumbles. I feel my body begin to relax…until he charges me, leaping and bounding at an incredible speed. My eyes widen, but I take no time to think and run, looking quickly for a place to hide. But I had to find a place quick, or the dragon would be at my throat. It takes a second before my eyes catch a spot under the tree. I see an empty spot in between the tree roots and the ground. Quickly, I dash for the spot, and just as the dragon is upon me, I dive underneath and allow the shadows to hide me.

Toothless growls and snarls, swiping his paw under the tree root, but I pull myself farther into the tree. My heart beat increases rapidly, but a few seconds later, I take a deep breath and try to calm myself, It's no big deal. He'll go away. "Toothless!" A familiar voice exclaims. I tighten my hands into fists, _Him again?_ _How much time does this kid spend with this dragon?_ I glare. _Now it'll be impossible for me to escape._ Toothless doesn't budge, _C'mon Toothless, go! Leave! Don't ruin my cover._ "What is it, bud?" I see another shadow appear beside Toothless. Toothless growls, swiping a few more times and almost catching my leg. Suddenly, the boy's head pops into view as he kneels. He looks at me. I push myself farther into the shadows and pray he doesn't see me. I'm invisible. I'm invisible. "Hi," I blurt out. My eyes widen and I snap my hand over my mouth, _Stupid, stupid, stupid!_

"Uh, hi," Hiccup says, "did—did you need something?"

I push myself against the base of the tree, "No…" Good, now he'll go away and I'll be free to leave…eventually, "What's your name?" I exhale sharply, _Stop talking you idiot! Keep your mouth shut!_

"Is that important?"

I blink, "Yeah."

"Hiccup."

I frown, "Hiccup?"

Hiccup looks at me, "Do you think you could come out? It's kinda difficult talking to the dark…" He mutters something at the end that I can't hear. For a moment, I hesitate. Hiccup stands up and takes a few steps back, You've already blabbed. Guess you gotta go through with this. It'll be over soon. I slowly pull myself out of the cover of the root, but a ferocious growl overwhelms the sweet sound of water falling into the spring. My hands automatically stop, and I jump back a little. Hiccup must've heard, "It's okay, come out," He says to me, "It's fine, bud." The dragon doesn't cease growling, but the intensity dies down to a low rumble.

I take a moment to steady my breathing and slowly pull myself out of the shadows and into the sunlight. My eyes snap up to meet the boy who stands a few steps back. His pale green eyes stare into my soul, and for a moment I feel like dying. Another person…another live person! I never thought I'd ever talk to a real person…

"Is something wrong?" Hiccup asks suddenly, keeping a hand on Toothless.

I cough and stand, "No," And it isn't any of your business! I hadn't realized that I was staring, "of course not. I'm just not use to…that." I point to Hiccup's hand resting on Toothless.

Hiccup looks at his hand, "You and every Viking I know…" He looks at me.

I smile, "It's not normal in your…settlement to obtain the trust of a dragon?"

"Wait, my settlement?" Hiccup looks at me, "is this some sort of crazy trick? Did my father send you?"

What's he talking about, "I don't understand."

"Before he left, did my father say anything to you?" Hiccup asks quickly, trying to keep Toothless from charging, "you know… 'Excuse me, I want you to watch over my disappointment of an offspring…" Hiccup's voice changes.

I back up a little. My eyes widen, "Umm…is this common? Are you always this…"

"Disappointing?"

"Odd, I was going to say odd," I note his eyes changing, as if someone had stolen his favourite sandwich, "which isn't always a bad thing." _This isn't working out…_ "So…Toothless?"

"Yeah, it's just a name I came up with…"

I frown, "I see a lot of teeth…"

"I guess a little demonstration wouldn't hurt," Hiccup looks at Toothless, "Open your mouth bud."

Toothless growls.

"Toothless! C'mon. She won't bite!" Hiccup argues. Toothless glares at me, but he sits down and opens his mouth, "show her." Without hesitating, Toothless' teeth disappear.

My eyes widen, I've never seen that before, "That's cool. Really cool…"

Toothless shuts his mouth. He'd grown silent over time and glares at me before turning around and wandering to the other side of the cove.

"I'm sorry about him, he's…a little over-protective."

I shake my head, "I don't need an apology. I understand it."

Hiccup adjusts his head to look behind me, and then snaps his head up until he's looked everywhere, "What about your dragon?"

"My dragon?"

"Yeah, the Zippleback."

I frown, "Zipple…back?"

"From the meadow?" Hiccup says, "two heads? Do you even know what I'm talking about?"

"Yes..." I lie. I trace back to Blue and Minnow... Wait, so they're called Zipplebacks. An odd name, "...they're out for a break," I lie again, "Just, hunting fish and stuff like that. They need their personal space, you know?"

A moment of silence passes before Hiccup's eyes dart to the sky, "Okay, well time for me to...go..." He says loudly before walking across the cove and touches Toothless' muzzle. My heart feels like it's going to dance at the sight. And suddenly, I think of my dragons. It would be nice to cuddle with them right now...

"Your name…"

My eyes snap so I'm looking at Hiccup, "Hmmm?"

"What's your name?"

My eyes widen, No one's ever asked me for my name before…what do I do? I contemplate giving a false name, but nothing pops into mind, "It's…Eerika."

Hiccup frowns, "That's an interesting...Viking name."

I nod, "Picked it myself."

Hiccup goes to speak, but he doesn't press the matter.

"Well, goodbye Eerika and good luck with," Hiccup moves his arms a little, "whatever you're doing."

"Thanks?" I turn around for a moment, touching my belt and realizing my dagger is gone. Quickly I kneel down and search, "you wouldn't happen to have seen a..." My eyes snap up, but the boy is gone, "...dagger. Guess he won't be helpin' me." I walk back to the tree and crawl underneath, feeling the ground. My hand comes in contact with a smooth handle. I drag it out after me and smile when the sunlight reveals my dagger, "There we are..." I strap the dagger into place, "...all tucked in."

I look over at Toothless who is nestled on a rock. His eyes meet mine, and right away they narrow. I glare back and turn away, What a moody dragon. It's a miracle that that boy tamed him. He's got guts, I'll give him that. I frown, What did Hiccup mean when he said, _'You and every Viking I know?' And he spoke as if he had been cursed._ I shake my head, _It's probably nothing_. I stand, placing my hands on my hips, _Now how to get out..._

x.x.x.x.x.x

Night falls. And a way out seems inevitable. With a small spring full of fish, it became clear that escaping the cove was not on today's agenda, so I set up a fire far from Toothless and finish the last of the fish I caught.

When I'm done, I toss the stick into the fire and stare into it. Thoughts dance in my head, and suddenly, I find myself staring at Toothless as he sleeps.


	6. Chapter 5

**|| CHAPTER FIVE ||  
** Hiccup

 **A/N:** _All chapters 'til now had been completed prior to posting. Everything else is a rough outline. The goal is to post once or twice a week, and then upgrade to a three times when Christmas Break begins! Please bare with me! The outline requires rethought. Thank you for reviewing!_

By the time the sun is barely over the horizon the breeze swiftly dances with the treetops. It's not enough to make my skin suffocate or make it impossible to breathe, but my mind runs wilder than a boar. And thus as my eyes shoot open, my mind begins to turn with thoughts and soon, sleep is a distant friend.

Toothless still lay motionless. He's lazily on his back and stretched out on his rock, leg in the air as if someone were petting his stomach. I wonder what waking him would do... The thought of his menacing eyes peering into mind makes me shudder. I remember the few times I'd awakened Red accidentally. He would stand, raising his wings and engulfing into flames. I'd roll my eyes and glare. Red, with great ferocity, would roar in my face for several minutes until finally settling back down and drifting back to sleep. Toothless still showed hostility. I pretend for a moment that upon awaking, Toothless's eyes would smile with happiness. He'd yawn, showing off his gumless teeth, and then prance around the cove, charging straight for the spring in search of another meal.

But then Red's displeasure of being awakened in such a manner flashes before me, and I realize this is nothing but a fantasy.

Instead, I spend a good portion of the early morning fishing, and figuring out my next move. For if that boy came back before I had escaped this cove, I'd have to hide. And hiding, as it turns out, is not a strong suit. If I were found, I'd have to make up an excuse or lie. That doesn't make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, or send my heart racing a mile a minute. But being discovered, or talking to another Viking is different. An image of Hiccup walking in on me as I try to escape pops into my mind and suddenly, my palms become sweaty and my heart begins to race. I touch my chest lightly, What in the world? This must be some sort of mind game! Someone's in my head! Quickly, my head snaps up to the edge of the cove cliff, there's no one there...Maybe it's my imagination. I sigh, and look at the pile of fish by my my feet. How many is that? One...six? I can't eat six fish! Stupid Eerika! Stop allowing others to manipulate your mind so they can play games! What are you going to do with SIX fish? And you can't throw them back, most of 'em are dead already!

My eyes snap to Toothless. It wouldn't hurt...peace offerings helped you before. And you have too many. I gently place several fish into my satchel, and tip-toe towards Toothless, Quiet...quiet...quiet. Don't awake him.I lower myself to the ground when I'm a few feet away from the dragon and place all the fish in a little pile, I sure hope he likes these. Without moving an inch, I push the pile closer to Toothless and run back to my spot before he catches me. Good...I got away with it. Of course, when he awakes he will do the math and know it was me. He isn't a stupid dragon! At least I have a fish.

After cooking the fish over a fire and eating it, I stretch, Time to find my way out of here! I look around the cove, careful not to disturb Toothless as he stirs. Maybe if I find a vine...I shake my head, Nah...there aren't any vines. What about climbing out? I approach a cove wall and attempt to grip it with my fingers, hoisting myself up. But I'm not two seconds in the air before I fall onto the ground, ow! "Stupid wall..." I mutter under my breath, rubbing my behind and standing.

Suddenly, I hear something shift. Slowly, I turn around to see Toothless awake. He watches me, eyes narrow, but I note the fish I had put in front of him are gone. At least he ate them...we make eye contact, until Toothless stands with his back arched. I hear a low rumble. He glares. My eyes widen. He still doesn't want anything to do with me. Fine, dumb dragon...as if Toothless could hear my thoughts, he snarls. I raise my hands, "Sorry! Seriously, Toothless! Lose the attitude."

He growls.

"Okay, okay. Fine. I won't say that. I'm leaving," I look around, attempting to find a exit. But my mind draws blank as my heart races and everything begins to blur together, "which is...?"

Toothless's ears twitch, and I take the opportunity to dive behind a boulder. It'd be much easier to find an exit without Toothless staring at me! But I speak too soon, "Hey, bud!" My eyes widen and I peer over the boulder. Hiccup has a round shiny thing over his back, another home-made tail fin under his arm, and drags a large bucket behind him. The dragon looks away from me, and runs to him, licking his face, "Whoa!" Hiccup pats Toothless, "I'm glad to see you too." He pushes the bucket over with his foot, and fish fall out. Toothless looks at the fish and immediately dives in.

Great! Now what? I exhale, I need to find a way out. I crawl back to the wall slowly. Neither Hiccup nor Toothless flinch. I make it to the wall, So far so good. I secure my fingers on the wall and try to find a grip. I feel the wall quickly and I turn when I find one. Toothless's fish are almost gone, Now or never... I pull myself up, moving my feet quietly along the wall to find a grip. Eventually, it stays against the wall and I continue to hoist myself out of the cove, I'm doing it! I smile. Everything in me wants to dance or jump, or do something to get rid of the energy suddenly overwhelming me.

When in a few feet in the air I grab the wall, but my grip fails. Suddenly, when I'm falling towards the cove. I land on the ground and roll backwards, away from the cover of the boulder.

"Uh, what-what are you doing?" A voice pipes up.

I close my eyes, and open them as I turn around to meet Hiccup. He stares at me, looking a little like he'd just seen an ogre or troll for the first time. Toothless is behind him glaring. I can hear a low rumble coming from his chest, Darn it! Darn you! Uh, what do I say? Shoot! I force a smile, "I'm...researching."

"Researching?"

I nod quickly, "Yeah, you know. Studying Toothless," I gesture to Toothless, "he's a very...interesting dragon with lots of different uhm...stuff," I'm a terrible liar! Terrible! I can't lie. Gotta find some sort of way to...I know! I continue, "Because my test subjects...disappeared. And I was studying them to-to learn what they like to do. I've been looking for them but, I can't find them so..."

For a moment there's silence. Hiccup speaks up, "That make some sense," He thinks, "Why were you climbing that wall?"

I bite my lip, "To get a good...vantage...point," You terrible liar! "And you know, he doesn't like me so...I can't go near him," I mutter, "But don't mind me. Just, keep doing...whatever..." I shuffle away awkwardly and duck behind the boulder, but peer over it so I can see what's happening.

"O...kay," Hiccup says. He turns to Toothless, "C'mon bud," Hiccup and Toothless walk past the bucket, "you're not hungry today. You still have some fish left." Toothless casts me a knowing look, "Let's try this new tail." Hiccup opens the tail, smiling to himself and straps it carefully onto Toothless, "That should do it."

He stands up, eying it with a silly smile on his face. The tail looks different. Bigger than the last, and a little heavier than I remember. I roll my eyes, Even I can tell whatever he used to make the new tail is too thick, and the fins don't match, I smirk, But this isn't any of my business. If anything, I should leave it and find my way out of here! Otherwise I'll get involved, and a distraction isn't what I need.

I stand up, pulling up my pants and starting back towards the wall, "Okay..." I mutter, "Grip the wall..." I move my hand slowly along the wall until I am able to find a spot for it to grab, "Good...now my foot..." I hear Toothless launch into the air. My foot finds a spot to grip, "...great. Now I need to-"

"Toothless, we're going down!" Hiccup exclaims. My heads snaps back and I watch Hiccup and Toothless plunge to the ground. Toothless collides with the dirt, throwing Hiccup off of his saddle.

For a moment, there is no movement. Hiccup pushes himself up, "Well, that was...eventful. Let's try again, bud." Toothless growls softly, "C'mon!" The dragon stands up and allows Hiccup to mount him, "Alright, Toothless." Toothless launches himself into the air, and they begin to make rounds around the cove. Hiccups smiles, but seconds later they plunge back to the ground.

Hiccup growls in frustration when he's back on his feet, "What is going on!?" He approaches the tail and touches it, "I thought we had it."

I face-palm, I can't take this anymore. I sigh, taking a step towards Hiccup...but then I stop, Wait...if I help him, I may get caught up in whatever he's doing. It ain't my business anyway. For a moment I look away, But, I can't leave him. Or else he may never fix that tail. He's a smart boy, but I can save him some time. I groan, and make my way towards him. Every step feels like rocks are chained to my feet and holding me down, but I pursue. I cross my arms over my chest as I tower over him. How am I going to say this?

Hiccup's eyes snap in my direction, "What?"

"My grandmother could make a better tail than that," I stifle a laugh.

Hiccup's face falls, "Yes. Thank you for that note of encouragement."

"It's true," I kneel beside him. "And easily noted."

"Well, if you're so smart," said Hiccup, "please. Be my guest."

"If you insist," I said, "The dimensions are faulty, for one. And the size isn't right. A small detail, but one that will surely affect flight time." I stare at the tail for a moment longer, "And, your material is too thick. If you're looking to replicate his tail fin, you have to find something that's, at minimum, the same thickness as Toothless' fin."

There's a long pause. Hiccup's eyes dart back and forth from the tail fin to the manmade device. I'm sure he's going to yell, but then his face brightens, "That would explain everything. You're right."

"Whatever you used to make this is wrong..." I said, "if you find a material that's a little thinner, it should do the trick."

"Eh, I lost my notes..." Hiccup responds, "but thank you," He looks at me, "how do you know so much?"

A small smile spread across my face, "Studying. Otherwise, no clue. I just do." As weird as it sounds, it's true. Information like this came naturally. Hiccup looks at me, as if wanting more of an answer. My eyes widen, great, I need to lie...darn you Eerika! You should've left it! "I, uh..." I think, "my parents are dragon...lovers. They taught me a lot about them."

"That must be nice," Hiccup mutters, "do you live on the island?"

I shake my head, "No..." Great, more lies! "...they dropped me here on a survival...mission. Coming of age thing I think...I don't understand it." I look away for a moment, What a stupid lie! No one's gonna believe it!

"Wow that sounds...awful," Hiccup says. My eyes widen, He believed that? What a gullible child!

I frown, "No...I knew it was coming," I gesture to him, "What about you?"

Hiccup looks a little thrown off...as if no one had asked him about himself either. But he answers, "It's only me and my dad," He explains, "my moms been gone for..." Hiccup trails off.

"Oh..." I slap myself internally, Why'd you ask knucklehead? "I'm sorry. Shouldn't of asked..." I mutter.

"It's okay."

"I guess..." I smile, "but, your dad?"

"Oh..." He touches Toothless. The dragon glares at me before trundling to his sleep spot and lying down with his back to us, "...he's okay. The typical Viking father."

I tilt my head.

"Strong. Brave. Stubborn."

I pretend to know, "Gotcha. So then...where do you live then?" Obviously that stupid settlement with the weird, miniature dragon!

"A village," He says quickly. I don't say anything and look at him curiously, "Y-you want to see?"

Without thinking, I nod. What are you doing jerk? You were supposed to say no! You're tired of this and you want to leave! Hiccup doesn't say anything. I sigh, I guess this sn't going to hurt. What's the worst that could happen?


	7. Chapter 6

**Mariah:** I enjoy reading the questions you post. Thanks for reviewing!

 **A/N:** Schedule for posting chapters for this story is Monday and Friday. Posting a day early!

 **|| CHAPTER SIX ||**  
The Place You Call Home

"Toothless!" Hiccup said. The dragon had lunged at him as we started making our way away from him. He hit his head against Hiccup's back, letting out a rumble and narrowing his eyes at me. I don't blame him. If one of my dragons flew off with a stranger, I would start freaking out.

But Hiccup wasn't having it, "Calm down bud. I'll be back in a bit." Toothless roars, "Great. Now I'm stuck with a out of control dragon."

"Don't look at me," I said, "he's your dragon."

"And _thank you_ for all your help," Hiccup said, "Stay here. We'll be back soon."

Toothless lets out another ear piercing screech before stomping away and settling for his sleeping spot.

Minutes later, we're crossing the forest and making our way up a hill. My eyes catch a glimpse a group of wooden caves nestled on a flat surface. There are specks wandering about, but the distance doesn't help with facial recognition.

A moment of silence passes between us. I count all the caves, and the people. It's different than what I had seen previously, _Probably because of the view._

Minutes fly by before Hiccup clears his throat, "So…this is my village."

"It's…nice," I said, "What's life like in your village?"

"Like...any other village I guess," He shrugs his shoulders. When I don't respond, he continues, "You know...fishing, hunting and a charming view of the sunset. The only downsides, as most Vikings on Berk would say, are the pests..."

"The pests?" I said, tilting my head.

Hiccup scratches his head, "Dragons."

"The dragons?" I said, "oh…"

"Mostly dragon raids. Smart Vikings would leave, but not us," He leans against a tree, "we have stubbornness issues."

"How long has that being going on for? " I settle on to the grass, _And what's a raid?_

"A hundred and seventy-five years," Hiccup said, "but dragons have been raiding Vikings for three hundred."

"Hundred?" It seemed odd, "that seems like an unusually accurate estimate."

"We have a holiday."

 _What's a holiday?_ I frown, "A holiday?"

"Yes," Hiccup said, "What?" My eyes snap up to meet his, and silence looms around, "And you have no idea what I'm talking about," He takes a deep breath, "You know, a holiday. You eat lots of food. You remember important people. A holiday."

"Oh…" I nod my head, "…and you have a holiday for killing dragons."

"It wasn't my idea," Hiccup said.

I chuckle, "Of course not," The ideas of a "raid" flies around my mind for a moment, "A dragon raid is…?"

"H-how do you not know what a dragon raid is?" Hiccup said, "Taking livestock. Burning the village to the ground. Normal dragon…stuff."

"It doesn't look burnt," I said, _Caves burn?_

"We re-build," Hiccup said, "we've been here for seven generations, but every building is new."

"That sounds..." I said, "…interesting. And stupid. Very, very stupid."

"Tell me about it. I've tried talking to my father," Hiccup straightens his back, " _Son, we've been here for seven generations, and I will not let these overgrown lizards scare us off."_

I chuckle, eyeing the village once again. For a moment, I imagine myself wandering around the village

"I don't think I've seen you around," Hiccup said suddenly, eying me, "where do you live on Berk?"

"A..." I pause, "…beach. It's secluded. Far from here, and a mess. I don't spend much time there anymore."

"That sounds..."

"Fun?"

"Awful. I was going to say awful," Hiccup said, "What about your parents?"

"They, uh..." I scratch my neck, "...I don't know. They dropped me off for survival training."

"I've been forced into those," Hiccup said, "How long are you going to be here?"

"Days. Weeks. Maybe months. I don't know," I look into the sky. _Hopefully he doesn't see through these…whatever they are. Lies._

"That must be hard," Hiccup said.

I shrug my shoulders, "Sometimes. But what can I do?"

"You could stay in my village," Hiccup said.

"No!" I quickly exclaim...and realize my tone sounded harsher than meant, "I mean, no. It's fine. I need to learn survival…alone." My fingers trace the grass blades, "But thank you."

We spend a few more minutes staring down at the village of Berk. I think of all the people that live there. I tighten my grip on a blade of grass, and wonder if Vikings would accept me.

* * *

"So...Toothless is a Night Fury?" The dragon doesn't budge from Hiccup's side. As soon as we had gotten back to the cove, he had bounded towards us. He didn't attack me this time...but I still saw something in his eyes screaming 'Get away from us you bug!'

Hiccup nods, "Yes."

"He's amazing," I stop counting how many times I manage to utter that phrase. His features are beyond stunning; even the way he glared and growled in warning. But now I had something to test, "May I?"

"Please. Be my guest."

In front of me is a fish. I can only guess it was from the basket of fish Hiccup had brought with him. But it didn't matter. Toothless watches me as I pick up the fish and slowly approach him. His shoulders tense and another low growl rips the silence. He glances to my side, and I realize he's looking at the daggers strapped to my side. I take them out, noting his growling intensifying, and toss them behind me.

I approach slowly; ready to back up if needed.

Slowly, I toss the fish towards him and wait. He glances up at me, and then approaches the fish with caution.

I watch as he grabs the fish with his mouth and tosses it into the air, catching and swallowing in one swift motion. He looks back at me, and tilts his head.

"I don't have anymore," I wish I did. Toothless rolls his eyes and sits down, growling slightly.

"That was-" Hiccup said.

"Normal," I said, "every dragon has its price. Toothless is no different," Toothless's eyes squint and he glares, "…somewhat."

Toothless coos.

"Sunset," Hiccup looks above. The darkness was already beginning to settle and an orangish color was spread throughout the sky, "I'll be back tomorrow bud."

Toothless watches Hiccup as he gathers his things; a map, a brown thing that reminded me of a snake, and the prosthetic tail, "Guess it's back to the drawing board."

"You know…I know a lot about dragon tails," I find myself shifting my gaze to Toothless's tail, "I could help you fix it so you can...fly."

"You-you don't have to do that…"

"I want to. Dragons fascinate me." I hope he agrees, "It would be a chance to grow in knowledge and understanding. Besides, riding a dragon is hard. Helping a dragon with half a tail fly is probably harder."

Hiccup scowls, "You just said IS hard."

I panic, "Did I say that!? I meant PROBABLY hard," I look away, "Because, you know, riding a dragon is impossible," I chuckle nervously and start playing with my fingers.

Luckily Hiccup didn't push it, "Well, if you really want to help…"

"And I do!"

"I could use all the help I can get," He smiles, "And I wouldn't mind helping you search for your missing dragons."

"You would help...me?"

"It'll be easier on the back of a dragon. We could explore islands we've never seen before!" He pats Toothless, "You help me. I help you. That is how it works."

"Oh.." I nod, "okay then. Deal."

"Great."

"When do we start?"

"Tomorrow," Hiccup scratches the back of his neck, "…after my training. You can look at my designs."

"That sounds like a plan," I nod. After we agreed to meet when the sun was at it's highest peak, we exchanged goodbyes, and Hiccup scurried home.

"Guess I should camp out here," I glance at Toothless. He glares at me, he doesn't like me. Maybe I shouldn't...but then I remember how hard it was to make camp without a dragon nearby. It feels safer to be around a dragon even if it doesn't like me much. I drop my satchel and head in the direction Hiccup went, climbing up the rocks and into the forest.

I scour the forest for hints or clues….dragon scales, foot prints, anything. I had to try. Even if they hadn't come this way recently, I'd never know! My heart longs to hear the roars and cries of my dragons as they bickered. Or to have one more cuddle with Splinter.

As the forest thickens, I catch some large footprints and follow them. They lead to a dip in the forest ground where a small herd of stubby dragons nudge each other, and sniff the rocks.

A brown dragon nudges a boulder nearest to me. I had to find a way to examine him…or her.

My hand catches the nearest trunk as I scan my surroundings, and a few feet away I spot several rocks settled on top of the cliff, _Perfect! Gosh, I hope it's Splinter!_ I swallow the space between the rocks and myself in a moment, and gather as many as I can without dropping them. They fit in my palm. But they're enough.

I travel around the dip until I come to a small path leading in the mouth, _Here goes nothing._ It takes minutes for me to reach the herd…and seconds for their eyes to find my body. In that moment, they growl in unison, and begin approaching at once. As if by instinct, I lower myself and crouch towards the brown dragon who appears to be at the back of the pack.

As I get closer and closer, I slide little rocks to the nearest dragon. Each looks at me for a second as the rocks roll near them, and then they gobble them off. The hostility falls off their face.

I lift my hand and the dragons sit, still slightly hostile but not growling any longer, "It's okay," I approach the brown dragon slowly and it lets me touch it's snout. The others approach and wag their stubby tails. I kneel beside the brown dragon and check their legs.

No splinters.

"Sorry, girl ," I smile, "you're not who I'm looking for." The dragons follow me as I go back up the hill, "don't follow. Go back home."

I look a while longer, but have no luck and decide to head back to the cove. I get back and make a fire and cook some fish.

Toothless growls and doesn't meet my gaze. Instead, he fires slowly on to the ground and turns around slowly. He doesn't halt until his fire has made a circle around him. He turns around once more, mouth closed this time, and lies down.

I look back into my fire. It's quiet. I can hear Toothless as he breathes deeply. When the fire dies, I lay down on the ground.

The stars twinkle. I close my eyes and picture the beach; my dragons lying on the sand and sleeping soundly.


End file.
